$900K in fines for illegal bird collector 🦅

We heard through the grapevine that a whole bunch of y’all were without your Thursday edition of our newsletter. While we can’t exactly explain what happened fully, we’ve settled on calling it a technical difficulty for the moment.

That said, we are thankful to all of those who brought it it our attention. Despite our best efforts, we haven’t been able to figure out what the hell went wrong, why it’s not on the site and why only some of you didn’t receive it. Either way, we’re back again today with another kick at the can - here’s to hoping there are no issues on a Friday.

With that in mind, while the weekend might not be here just yet, (hopefully) your favorite dispatch from the great outdoors is. 

So grab your coffee or whiskey (no judgement) and let's get caught up on the outdoor news and views from the past 24-or-so hours. 

Here's what's worth reading about today:

• Almost a mill - $900K in fines for Endangered Species violations 🦅

• That looks farmed - Potential Wisconsin record coming under scrutiny 🦌

• Protect high fences - Alabama bill looks to clear deer breeders of all responsibility 🤝

• Delayed - Michigan delays decision on ‘yote hunting 🐺

• Kentucky floods - And how hunting areas are affected 🌊

• Site #26 - The story of site 26 at Soda Butte Campground ⛺️

DUDE LOVED ENDANGERED BIRDS
GEORGIA COLLECTOR SLAPPED WITH $900K IN FINES AMID LARGEST TAXIDERMIED BIRD CASE IN US HISTORY

A pair of Georgia men got their wings clipped in court this week in what’s being called the biggest bird mount trafficking case in U.S. history. Dr. John Waldrop of Cataula, Georgia, and Toney Jones of Eufala, Alabama, thought they could play fast and loose with Mother Nature’s rarest treasures and found out the hard way that they couldn’t. On Wednesday, a federal judge in Brooklyn dropped the hammer, and the fallout is nothing short of jaw-dropping.

According to case reports, between the years of 2016 to 2020, Dr. Waldrop was secretly amassing an endangered bird mount collection that would make any ornithologist’s heart skip a beat stop entirely. In total, investigators uncovered upwards of 1,400 taxidermy bird mounts and over 2,500 eggs, all meticulously gathered over the years. His collection included four notable eagle species, 179 other bird species, plus 193 types of eggs, all of which remain shielded by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act…

HEADLINES // ^{_{DIGESTIBLE SNIPPETS}}

🏆 Potential Wisconsin Record Under Fire as DNR Probes Pen-Raised Claims. A massive 49-point buck, reportedly scoring over 306 inches and promoted as a potential Wisconsin state record for a non-typical muzzleloader kill, has sparked controversy after its display at the Open Season Deer and Turkey Expo on March 29. The buck, allegedly taken by hunter Richard Waters in December, was panel-scored by the Wisconsin Buck and Bear Club (WBBC) at the event. However, doubts about its authenticity have arisen due to its bleach-white antlers, unbroken tines, and sharp points, which critics argue indicate it was a pen-raised deer rather than a free-range animal. These features, particularly the antlers’ condition and lack of wear, suggest the deer may have died in late summer, not during Wisconsin’s December muzzleloader season. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources has launched an investigation into the case, but neither Waters nor the WBBC has publicly addressed the allegations, fueling speculation within the hunting community.

Skepticism intensified as details emerged, with outdoor writer Dan Cole, a former scorer, noting the buck’s antlers appeared freshly shed of velvet, inconsistent with a late-season wild deer. No trail cam images or clear post-hunt photos of the buck exist, and the score sheet has not been sent to the Boone & Crockett Club for verification, despite initial claims. B&C, which does not accept pen-raised deer, confirmed it has no record of the score. Comparisons to a pen-raised buck from a Wisconsin deer farm have further questioned the deer’s origins, and reports suggest some WBBC measurers were reluctant to score it. Waters reportedly signed an affidavit claiming the buck was taken under fair chase conditions, but if proven false, this could lead to significant repercussions for both him and the WBBC, including potential legal consequences and reputational damage.

🦌 Alabama Bill Threatens Deer Management with Risky Push for Breeder Immunity and Private Deer Ownership. Alabama’s House Bill 509 has wildlife officials and hunters up in arms over its potential to disrupt whitetail deer management by declaring high-fence deer, including whitetails, the personal property of breeders, stripping away their status as a public resource. The bill would also limit the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR) from testing or restricting captive deer transfers unless a disease is already confirmed in a breeder’s herd—a loophole critics say could accelerate CWD’s spread, given the lack of mandatory testing. ADCNR Commissioner Chris Blankenship has slammed the bill as “reckless,” warning it threatens Alabama’s wild deer, the state’s $2 billion hunting economy, and the public trust principles of the North American Model of Wildlife Management.

The controversial bill mirrors a bolder Texas proposal penned by Rep. Pat Curry, a deer breeder, whose House Bill 4938 sought to dissolve the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) entirely, transferring its duties to other agencies to ease deer breeder regulations. Like Alabama’s HB509, it aimed to loosen CWD oversight, which Curry argued unfairly targeted breeders despite their economic contributions. Met with fierce opposition from hunters, conservationists, and TPWD supporters, who emphasized the agency’s role in managing Texas’ $9.6 billion hunting industry, the bill was soundly defeated. Alabama’s HB509 now faces similar resistance from the National Deer Association and Blankenship, who calls unchecked deer transfers “unacceptable.” Both cases highlight a growing tension between breeder interests and science-based wildlife conservation, with Texas’ failed bid signaling the uphill battle Alabama’s bill may ultimately and rightly face.

VIDEO // ^{_{SOME THINGS JUST HAVE TO BE SEEN}}

⛺️ So, this is a cool video with an even cooler story. If you’ll recall, back in 2010, a man by the name of Kevin Kammer was camping at the Soda Butte Campground in Montana and was hauled out of his tent by a grizz. The bear and cubs went on to kill and eat Mr. Kammer, who was camping that evening at site #26.

The fella who took this video is a bear biologist and went to investigate the site for a story and recorded this interaction of yet another grizz in hot pursuit of its next meal. Albeit, this time it was a moose.

Crazy timing and a crazy coincidence.

I, for one, am certainly not setting up shop at site 26 any time soon…

QUICK HITS // ^{_{FROM AROUND THE WEB}}

Natural Resources Commission delays vote on expanding coyote hunting season: The Michigan Natural Resources Commission delayed a decision Thursday on overturning one of its own regulations — restrictions on coyote hunting put in place just over a year ago.  Read the full story.

Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Public Hunting Areas Affected by Flooding : Due to the recent weather event that affected Kentucky, the Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources is asking hunters headed to public hunting areas for the spring turkey season (April 12 - May 4) to be aware that high waters may impact access and hunting opportunity.  Read the full story.

How Vermonters can apply for limited 2025 moose hunting permits: The VTF&W Board voted on the number of permits available this this year, which is 100 antlerless moose hunting permits and 80 permits for either-sex. Hunting will be limited to the northeastern corner of the state, in Wildlife Management Unit E. Read the full story.

Ohio spring wild turkey hunting season is almost here. Here's what to know: Hunters, get ready. Wild turkey season in Ohio starts soon. Here's what you need to know.  Read the full story.

Hunter Harvest Report: Idaho deer and elk hunters go 3 for 3 in 2024 : Big game hunters apparently got after it in the fall of 2024, accomplishing a statewide hat trick of harvest increases—the first time since 2020—of elk, mule deer, and white-tailed deer.  Read the full story.

‘Bout to take a bite out of this weekend.

📸 :@taylorthomasalbright

Oh, and one more thing…